by Melanie Cossey

Created on: August 12, 2010   Last Updated: June 01, 2011

She had heard tales of this creature called man , during long migratory treks across oceans cold and deep, in search of clearer waters and unpolluted food sources. Her clan had warned of this terrifying race, who dominated not only land, but also sea and sky. Their creed stated that whomever spotted man, had to destroy them by any means available. The mermaids would tempt the sea vessels to dash themselves on the rocks and the mermen would overturn smaller boats with their bare hands and drag the humans down into the deep, until their lungs would fill with water.

 And hadn't she personally witnessed the acts of these malicious humans? Whole areas of open ocean had been overtaken by their waste matter. Endless sea creatures had lost their lives to the gigantic black tarry pools out of which there was no return. Hadn't these provided examples of why she should hate evil man, enough to destroy him on site? But yet here was one directly in front of her, carefully untangling her from a fish net.

 Eyes never lie, and his were kind. Her heart leapt at the touch of his fingers against her scales. Would he hurt her? Destroy her? No! He looked at her with admiration; respect. His movements were slow and calculated, as he carefully worked at the tangles she had created in her thrashing attempt to loose herself. He spoke in low tones as he worked, the human words foreign to her ears, but she recognized their melody as soothing; consoling. She took in every inch of him, studied his hands and especially his odd torso, how it formed itself into two limbs below the waist, so different from the merfolk. He was leaning over her, balanced with one limb bent out behind him and the other tucked underneath. She marveled at how such a pose could support him.

 Finally freeing her from the ropes,the man tugged them away from her body, gently lifting her tail to allow the remainder of the net to drop away. He brushed the salty hair from her face, kissed her cheek and gently pushed her off the ship's deck and back into the sea.

 She stared after the ship for a long time, something had shifted. Life would never be the same.

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